Climate and Terrain

The Balkan Mountains cross the country from west to east, averaging 2,000m in height and the Rhodope Mountains in the south-west climb to almost 3,000m. Elevation extremes range from 2,925m (Musala) to 0m (Black Sea). The lowland plains of the north and south-east are in the basins of the main rivers: the Danube in the north, which forms much of the border with Romania, and the Maritsa, which divides the Balkan and Rhodope ranges. The climate is temperate, with cold, damp winters and hot, dry summers. Average temperatures in Sofia range from −1°C in January to 20°C in July.

History and Politics

Under the 1991 constitution, the president is directly elected for a five-year term, renewable once. The head of government is the prime minister, who is appointed by the president, and is usually the leader of the largest party in the legislature. There is a unicameral National Assembly of 240 members who are directly elected for a four-year term.

In the 2009 legislative election, the new centre-right party Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) won the most seats, but without an overall majority, and formed a minority government with support from small right-wing parties. Rosen Plevneliev of the GERB won the 2011 presidential election, picking up 40 per cent of the vote; he was inaugurated on 21 January 2012.

Defence

Economy and Trade

The government adopted radical economic reforms in 1996 and the economy achieved stability and attracted significant foreign investment, although administrative corruption and organised crime remain potential deterrents. Despite steady economic growth in 2004–8 and responsible fiscal management, the economy contracted in the global economic downturn as industrial production and exports declined. Recovery has been slow.

The main trading partners are EU countries, Russia and Turkey. Principal exports are clothing and footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, and fuels. The main imports are predominantly machinery and raw materials for the industrial sector.

Communications

Waterways – There are 470km of waterways, and inland ports include Vidin, Lom and Ruse on the river Danube; The main ports are Burgas and Varna on the Black Sea

Roadways – There are 40,231km of roads, including 418km of motorways

Railways – 4,151km

Telecommunications – 2.2 million fixed lines and 10.585 million mobile telephone subscriptions (2010); there were 3.395 million internet users in 2009

Internet code and IDD – bg; 359 (from UK), 44 (to UK)

Major broadcasters – Public service broadcasters Bulgarian National Radio and Bulgarian National Television share the market with a vigorous commercial sector that provides national and regional broadcasting

Press – There are seven major daily newspapers, including Dnevnik, Trud, and the business-orientated Pari